Compositions available on the market that include a lipophilic bioactive compound (LBC), namely lycopene, are already known. Lycopene is a natural product which is known to have multiple roles, in particular that of an antioxidant. Lycopene is present in various natural products, in particular tomatoes, melons, guavas and grapefruit.
The composition generally available on the market which comprises lycopene is an oleoresin. The problem with this oleoresin is that it has been found that the lycopene present therein is insufficiently bioavailable. For example, EP 278 284 seeks to improve the color strength and absorption of carotenoids for the purposes of coloring food and animal feeds by dividing the carotenoids into small particles. This is achieved by forming a pulverulent water-dispersible carotenoid formulation through a complex, multi-stage process to convert the carotenoids into a finely divided, pulverulent form, with a particle size of about 191-359 nm (according to the Examples) and an improved coloring strength. The pulverulent formulations is envisaged for a coloring purpose only and does not disclose the use of a whey protein.
While some prior art references have sought to provide LBCs for health-related purposes, the prior art merely relates to providing certain types of LBC or focuses on the way the LBC is delivered, and does not mention increasing the bioavailability of the LBC itself. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,892 relates to providing daidzein that is preferably isolated from soy material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,526 provides lycopene in a soft-capsulated drug, where the lycopene is provided in mixture with oil such that the fluidity of the contents of the capsule is increased. U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,623 seeks to deliver antioxidant in a food product by embedding the antioxidant within or discrete from other components such as fat, carbohydrate or protein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,760 discloses microencapsulating volatile or non-volatile core materials with whey protein-based microencapsulating agents to improve the delivery of the core materials. U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,805 discloses a topical composition comprising a collagen-enhancing effective amount of whey protein and vitamins A, E and C, in which vitamins E and C are present in specific ranges based on their inverse effect in boosting collagen synthesis.
None of the prior art references, however, addresses increasing the bioavailability of LBC and of further preserving LBC activity in an oral product, wherein the LBC is in unencapsulated form. Thus, there is a need for an LBC-containing product in which the LBC is provided with better bioavailability than the products currently on the market through a simple, manufacture-friendly process. Applicants have now surprisingly discovered that the bioavailability of a LBC can be enhanced by associating the LBC with whey protein such that the LBC and the whey protein are provided in a form of a mixture or a matrix. Further, by providing the LBC in an unencapsulated form and in mixture with whey protein, the present invention also seeks to protect and preserve the activity of the LBC. In particular, Applicants have found that the compound's resistance to decomposition by light and oxygen is significantly increased by associating the LBC with whey protein in a mixture or matrix as detailed below.